Gloves with partially attached padding

ABSTRACT

A sports glove comprising a palm side, a dorsal side positioned opposite the palm side, and a plurality of protection sections positioned on the dorsal side. Preferably, each protection section is partially attached to the dorsal side and includes a length and a width wherein preferably less than half of the length and less than half of the width is attached to the dorsal side. Additionally, each partially attached protection section can include a base wherein the base includes the partial attachment of the protection section to the dorsal side. As such, use of the sports glove by a wearer partially separates the plurality of partial attachment protection sections from the dorsal side. Alternately described at least a portion of each partially attached protection section is not attached to the dorsal side, or is separated from, the dorsal side of the glove.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in generally to protective gloves. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to protective sports gloves havinguniquely attached padding to provide enhanced protection whilemaintaining flexibility and the ability to arrange the padding of theglove.

In many contact sports, it is essential to intentionally strike theparticipants of the sport. Depending on the given sport, certain bodyparts are under greater exposure and stress than others. For example, insports such as Lacrosse, hockey, and other sports in which a stick typeobject is an essential part of the game, a participant's hands areexposed to a large amount of contact and as such it is important toprotect those hands during the course of play of the sport. It is alsoimportant to maintain a high level flexibility in the participant'shands in order to adequately participate in the sport. As such, aprotective glove in sports should both protect and retain flexibility.

Various protective sporting gloves have been developed over the yearsfor use in lacrosse, hockey, and other similar contact sports. Thesegloves are designed protect the user of the glove, or player of thesport, against impacts and blows to their hands during participation inthe sporting event. Unfortunately, as the protection provided by thesegloves increases, the user of these prior art gloves experiences areduction in the amount of flexibility he has in his hand due to theconfiguration of the glove. This reduction in flexibility cansubstantially reduce the effectiveness and level of play of aparticipant wearing the glove. Traditionally, however, as the level offlexibility allowed by a protective glove would remain high, theprotection provided by that glove would be limited.

There are several areas of the hand that need to maintain an increasedlevel of flexibility and yet still need a high level of protection.These areas include the various joints of the fingers and hand includingthe knuckles. For example, the knuckle joints of a participant's handneed to maintain as close to the full range of flexibility as possiblein order to properly grip the equipment used during the sport, andsometimes the other participants in the sport.

Traditionally, compounding this issue is the very padding located at theknuckle areas. In order to sustain as complete of a range of motion aspossible for the fingers of the hand, the padding or protection on thefingers should not substantially restrict the flexibility of the finger.Otherwise, the amount of the rotational range in the fingers of the handwhen flexed will be limited due to the increased padding and protectivematerials in the glove.

For example, as the fingers move from an extend position to a curledposition, padding located on the back of the glove above a knuckle willmove from being adjacent to one another to create a gap of over ninetydegrees. As such, additional protection is needed to fill this gap.However, when the additional protection was added, the additionalprotection reduced the range of movement of the fingers, especially whenattempting to extend the fingers

Most of the prior art has used segmented padding pieces in order toattempt to both protect the hand of the participant and maintainflexibility. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,339, U.S. Pat. No.4,137,572, U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,242, U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,916, U.S. Pat.No. 5,946,720, U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,354, U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,769, U.S.Pat. No. 6,543,057, U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,069, and U.S. Pat. No.6,643,844, all disclose various sports gloves having segmented paddingsections. Some of these prior art gloves have attempted to specificallyprotect the knuckles of a participant while maintaining flexibility.However, these prior art attempts have either tried to createoverlapping padding, add a piece of soft cloth material to cover thegaps between the padding where the piece spans from one padding sectionto another or used cloth material folded and placed within the paddingjoint.

Additionally the prior art gloves have failed to provide a user of aglove with flexibility in the arrangement of the padding. These priorart gloves have the padding fixed in a set location and in a setarrangement upon the glove. As such there is no allowance for a user toarrange the padding of the prior arts gloves as specifically desired tocreate an appearance or protection scheme.

Additionally, any padding in the prior art gloves are fixed to the gloveover the width and length of that padding. As such, the flexibility of aprior art glove is limited due to the constraints of the padding beingcompletely attached over its length.

What is needed then is a sports glove having padding that is attached tothe glove to facilitate flexibility in the glove while maintaining aproper level of protection of the hand of a wearer of the glove.Additionally, this needed glove can be arranged to provide the user of aglove options in the placement of the padding on the glove to create adesired protection pattern or to conform the aesthetic look of the gloveto a user's desires. A glove containing these features is lacking in theart.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Included herein is a sports glove comprising a palm side, a dorsal sidepositioned opposite the palm side, and a plurality of protectionsections positioned on the dorsal side. Preferably, each protectionsection is partially attached to the dorsal side and includes a lengthand a width wherein preferably less than half of the length and lessthan half of the width is attached to the dorsal side. Additionally,each partially attached protection section can include a base whereinthe base includes the partial attachment of the protection section tothe dorsal side. As such, use of the sports glove by a wearer partiallyseparates the plurality of partial attachment protection sections fromthe dorsal side. Alternately described at least a portion of eachpartially attached protection section is not attached to the dorsalside, or is separated from, the dorsal side of the glove.

Alternately each protection section can include a casing wherein thecasing includes a partial attachment of the protection section to thedorsal side. Each partially attached protection section can deflectindependent of the adjacent partially attached protection section. Thepartial attachment of the protection section permits a substantialdeflection of each protection section with respect to the dorsal side inorder to absorb energy from an impact to the glove and to protect thehand of a wearer.

Also included is a sports glove comprising a palm side, a dorsal sidepositioned opposite the palm side, and a plurality of interchangeableprotection sections positioned on the dorsal side. Each interchangeableprotection section includes a removable attachment engaging theprotection section to the dorsal side. This removable attachment cancomprise hooks and loops, zippers, adhesives, and snaps. Preferably,each interchangeable protection section includes a width and a lengthwherein less than half the width and less than half the length isattached to the dorsal side. Alternately, a majority of the width and amajority of the length can be attached to the dorsal side. In anotheralternate embodiment each interchangeable protection section includes abase wherein the base is removably attached to the dorsal side.

A wearer of this sports glove can selectively remove eachinterchangeable protection section and arrange the protection sectionsupon the dorsal side as desired. As such, each interchangeableprotection section includes a removable securement attaching thatinterchangeable protection section to the dorsal side. This removablesecurement can be independent of any attachment of adjacentinterchangeable protection sections to the dorsal side. Alternatelydescribed, the first and second interchangeable protection sectionsinclude first and second positions on the dorsal side wherein the firstand second interchangeable protection sections can be positioned ineither first or second positions on the dorsal side.

It is therefore a general object of the current invention to provide aprotective sports glove.

It is another object of the current invention to provide a sports glovehaving partially attached protection sections.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sports glovehaving interchangeable protection sections.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sportsglove having padding that is rearrangeable on the sports glove.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sports glovehaving padding sections where less than a majority of the length andless than a majority of the width of the padding sections are attachedto the glove.

And yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sportsglove having padding sections that deflect independently of adjacentpadding sections.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art uponreading of the following description and a review of the attachedfigures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a sports glove made inaccordance with the current disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows an exampleof various padding sections of FIG. 1 rearranged to show a newconfiguration.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view along one of the fingers of a glovemade in accordance with the current disclosure. FIG. 3 shows examples ofvarious forms of attachment between the padding and the dorsal side ofthe glove.

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of a glove made in accordance withthe current disclosure. FIG. 4 shows the relationship between thepadding and the glove as the glove flexes.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows anexample of the independent movement of the padding when struck by aforce.

FIG. 6 shows a bottom perspective view of a padding section made inaccordance with the current disclosure, wherein the attachment sectiononly comprises part of the width and part of the length of the paddingsection.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of paddingmade in accordance with the current disclosure. FIG. 7 shows a baseattached to the padding wherein the base includes a removableattachment.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the padding section shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the padding shown in FIGS. 7-8.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the padding shown in FIGS. 7-9.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the paddingshowing the padding encasing.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of paddingmade in accordance with the current disclosure. FIG. 12 shows a baseattaching multiple padding sections to the glove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring generally now to FIGS. 1-12, a sports glove made in accordancewith the current disclosure is shown and generally designated by thenumeral 10. The sports glove 10 can be used to protect the hand (notshown) of a participant of a contact sporting event, such as lacrosse,hockey, and the like. The sports glove 10 comprises a palm side 12, adorsal side 14 positioned opposite the palm side 12, and a plurality ofprotection sections 16 positioned on the dorsal side 14. Each protectionsection 16 includes a length 18 and a width 20. In a preferredembodiment each protection section 16 is partially attached to thedorsal side 14 wherein less than half the width 20 and less than halfthe length 18 are attached to the dorsal side 14.

Alternately the amount of attachment of the partially attachedprotection sections 16 to the dorsal side 14 can vary in order tofacilitate the flexibility and level of protection of the hand of a userof the sports glove 10. For example, between 25%-75% of the length 18 ofthe protection section 16 can be attached to the dorsal side 14 andbetween 25%-75% of the width 20 can be attached to the dorsal side 14.Alternately, between 35%-50% of the length 18 and between 35%-50% of thewidth 20 can be attached to the dorsal side 14. In a most preferredembodiment between 25%-50% of the length 18 and 25%-50% of theprotection section 16 can be attached to the dorsal side 14 to securethe protection section 16 to the dorsal side 14. Alternately described,at least 25% of each partially attached protection section 16 is notattached, or is separated from, the dorsal side (14).

In an alternate embodiment each partially attached protection section 16further includes a base 22 wherein the base 22 includes a partialattachment 24 of the protection section 16 to the dorsal side 14. In yetanother alternate embodiment each partially attached protection section16 includes a casing 26, wherein the casing 26 includes the partialattachment 24 of the protection section 16 to the dorsal side 14.

Use of the sports glove 10 by a wearer partially separates the partiallyattached protection sections 16 from the dorsal side 14. This is bestillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. As shown, each partially attachedprotection section 16 can deflect independently of the adjacentpartially attached protection section 16. Also, the partial attachmentof each protection section 16 to the dorsal side 14 permits asubstantial deflection of each protection section 16 with respect to thedorsal side 14. This deflection allows absorption of an energy force 28,which can be described as a blow to the hand of the user. Thisabsorption by deflection facilitates protection of the hand of a user ofa glove 10 while maintaining flexibility in the glove 10.

The glove 10 includes a finger end 30, including all of the fingers 31,and a cuff end 32, including the cuff 33. Each protection section 16includes an attachment side 34 and a separated side 36 wherein theattachment side 34 is positioned substantially between the separatedside 36 and the finger end 30 of the glove 10. This positioningfacilitates the movement of the padding and flexibility of the paddingof the glove 10 during use of the glove 10 by a wearer, as best seen inFIGS. 4 and 5.

The partially attached protection sections 16 can be removably securedor permanently fixed to the dorsal side 14. When removably secured eachprotection section 16 can be attached to the dorsal side 14 through suchitems such as hooks and loops, zippers, adhesives, snaps, and otherfasteners known in the art. When permanently fixed to the dorsal side,the partially attached protection section 16 can be permanently adhered,sewn, or be permanently affixed by other fasteners known in the art.

Alternately, the sports glove 10 includes a plurality of interchangeableprotection sections 16 positioned on the dorsal side 15. Theinterchangeable protection section 16 includes a removable attachment 38engaging the interchangeable protection section 16 to the dorsal side14. This removable attachment can include hooks and loops, zippers,snaps, and other fasteners known in the art.

Each interchangeable protection section 16 includes a length 18 and awidth 20. In a preferred embodiment less than half of the length 18 andwidth 20 is attached to the dorsal side 14. In an alternate embodiment amajority of the length 18 and width 20 is attached to the dorsal side14. In another alternate embodiment the interchangeable protectionsection 16 include a base 22 wherein the base 22 is removably secured tothe dorsal side 14. This base 22 can also be partially attached to thedorsal side 14 to further facilitate flexibility and protection of thehand of the user of the sports glove 10. In an alternate embodiment, thebase 22 base supports multiple interchangeable protection sections 16and attaches the multiple interchangeable protection sections 16 to thedorsal side 14. This is best illustrated in FIG. 12.

A user of the sports glove 10 can selectively remove eachinterchangeable protection section 16 and rearrange each interchangeableprotection section 16 as best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Theinterchangeable nature of the interchangeable protection section 16facilitates color coordination and design configuration of the externalpadding and look of the sports glove 10.

Alternately described a first interchangeable protection section 40includes a first position 44 and a second position 46 while a secondinterchangeable protection section 42 includes a first position 48 and asecond position 50. The first and second interchangeable protectionsections 40 and 42 can be positioned in any one of the first and secondpositions 44, 46, 48 and 50. As such the first and secondinterchangeable padding sections 40 and 42 are rearrangeable on thedorsal side 14 of the sports glove 10 in multiple positions as desiredby a user of the sports glove 10. As such each interchangeableprotection section 16 includes the removable attachment 38, which canalso be described as a removable securement 38 attaching that protectionsection 16 to the dorsal side 14 independent of the attachment of anyadjacent protection section 16.

Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of thepresent invention of a new and useful Glove With Partially AttachedPadding, it is not intended that such references be construed aslimitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in thefollowing claims.

1. A sports glove comprising: a palm side; a dorsal side positionedopposite the palm side; a plurality of partially attached protectionsections positioned on the dorsal side.
 2. The sports glove of claim 1,wherein each partially attached protection section includes a length andless than half the length is attached to the dorsal side.
 3. The sportsglove of claim 1, wherein each partially attached protection sectionincludes a width and less than half the width is attached to the dorsalside.
 4. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein each partially attachedprotection section includes a width and a length, wherein less than halfthe width is attached to the dorsal side and less than half the lengthis attached to the dorsal side.
 5. The sports glove of claim 1, whereineach partially attached protection section includes a length and betweentwenty-five to seventy-five percent of the length is attached to thedorsal side.
 6. The sports glove of claim 5, wherein each partiallyattached protection section includes a length and between thirty-five tofifty percent of the length is attached to the dorsal side.
 7. Thesports glove of claim 1, wherein each partially attached protectionsection includes a width and between twenty-five to seventy-five percentof the width is attached to the dorsal side.
 8. The sports glove ofclaim 7, wherein each partially attached protection section includes awidth and thirty-five to fifty percent of the width is attached to thedorsal side.
 9. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein each partiallyattached protection section includes a width and a length, whereinbetween twenty-five to fifty percent of the length and betweentwenty-five to fifty percent of the width is attached to the dorsalside.
 10. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein each partially attachedprotection section further includes a base, wherein the base includesthe partial attachment to the dorsal side.
 11. The sports glove of claim1, wherein use of the sports glove by a wearer partially separates theplurality of partially attached protection sections from the dorsalside.
 12. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein at least twenty fivepercent of each partially attached protection section is not attached tothe dorsal side.
 13. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein at leasttwenty five percent of each partially attached protection section isseparated from the dorsal side.
 14. The sports glove of claim 1, whereineach partially attached protection section includes a casing, whereinthe casing includes the partial attachment to the dorsal side.
 15. Thesports glove of claim 1, further including a cuff end and a finger end,wherein each partially attached protection section includes anattachment side and a separated side, the attachment side positionedsubstantially between the separated side and the finger end.
 16. Thesports glove of claim 1, wherein each partially attached protectionsection can deflect independently of the adjacent partially attachedprotection section.
 17. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein the partialattachment of each partially attached protection section permits asubstantial deflect of each partially attached protection section withrespect to the dorsal side.